Saturday 5th July 2008 Pont d'en Cerny to Le Segala Summit of C. du Midi

Sunny and hot again, with a few light white clouds, clouding over later and rain starting at 3.00 a.m. Left just after nine and we lead the way on the 2 km run up to Nègra. The lock was empty with the bottom end gates open. There was no chance that I could throw the rope up as the lock was 4m deep and I couldn’t even see the bollard, so Mike went up a ladder dropped my rope round the bollard and did likewise for Bill (his centre rope was too short so Mike tied it on the bollard). A young man worked the lock (using a yellow zapper) under the instruction of an older VNF man. It was 9.45 a.m. when we left the top of the lock with Rosy in the lead. At Laval 2-rise the lock keeper was a blonde lady with a six year old son in a Spiderman suit. Her white cat went to look at Fanny, she barked a lot but Bill wouldn’t let her get off to investigate. The cat came to see us and chased my rope as I fetched it off the bollard. A short distance to Gardouch, up the shallow 2m lock and tied on the quay next to Rosy while Bill went on his bike to the boulangerie and brought us a loaf back too. While he was away we repotted the new plant I bought from Jardiland, a moss rose with red, pink and orange flowers. The winter pansies were dried out so I chopped off the seed pods and put them in a bag to sort out the seeds later. We waited while Bill prepared his lunch so he could eat it en route to Renneville. Set off again at 11.20 a.m. with a Locaboat from Nègra just coming into the empty chamber of Gardouche behind us. Yacht She was moored by the restaurant boat Surcouf below the lock, the skipper was from the Humber and we had a quick chat as we went past. Our mast head light only just fitted under the arch of the brick bridge below the lock. Another very young student keeper worked the lock for us. The house alongside the lock was deserted. It was 12.20 p.m. when we followed Rosy up the 2.8 km pound to Encassan two rise. We moored below the lock next to the wooden landing, Bill put Rosy under the trees, and had some lunch. When we looked out at 1.30 p.m. the Locaboat was behind us plus a small French yacht. The resident male keeper was 10 minutes late coming out to work the lock. We went up first and he worked the lock again for the other two boats once we’d cleared the top. Followed Rosy along the 1.6 km pound to Emborrel, 3.10m deep. A group of picnickers (with three old saloon cars) were on the lock side and one of them flipped my rope over the bollard for me, then they proceeded to get on their hands and knees to look into the boat through the open side doors. I ignored them – I hate people being so blatantly nosy. Another very young student lad worked the lock. At 2.30 p.m. we followed Rosy up the 4.2 km pound to Ocean, the last lock. We’d changed departments from Haute Garonne to Aude. A very cheery resident lock keeper worked the lock using a control panel on straps like a cinema usherette’s tray of ices; while on the lock side stood a brand new control post with green button and intercom - a sign of things to come? We’d noticed there were new traffic lights below his lock (and above, as we left). He gave us cards advertising the resto at Le Ségala, where we were going with Bill later for a meal. It was 3.15 p.m. as we left the lock following Rosy along the summit pound, through the cutting and past the feeders from the Black Mountains. We found the quay at Le Ségala was full of Rive de France hire boats (it was reserved for them) and the last section of quay for other boats was filled with two dumped and left “dead” boats - a British Springer narrowboat and an old centre cockpit cruiser that had seen much better days. It was 4.00 p.m. We went through the bridge and winded by the quay while Bill attempted to tie up before the bridge, Rosy was on the bottom. We moored alongside Rosy and put extra ropes out. Bill said we’d wander up to the restaurant, Le Relais,  around 7.30 p.m. The two groups of people sitting eating at table outside the restaurant were English. We went inside to get out of the sun. (The French thought we were odd wanting to dine indoors on such a lovely day but we normally spend every day out in it) We had Muscat for aperitif, a pitcher of house white wine with the meal; salad forestiére for starters, and then magret grilleé (grilled duck breast) with chips and a sort of ratatouille, then Bill had raspberry tart with ice cream and Mike had ice cream (three different varieties) and I had a rum and raisin plus passion fruit ice cream, followed by coffee. We thanked Bill for inviting us out for the meal which had been exceptionally good. On the quay they had been holding a petanque tournament when we arrived and now a funfair was under way, later there was live music. We went back to the boats, sat on our front deck and sank a couple of bottles of sparkling wine (Clairette de Die and a Crémant de Bordeaux) and sat outside chatting until it started to rain at 3.00 a.m. just as the live music finished. Mike and Bill had almost polished off a bottle of Bill’s dark rum.